Sarawak’s Long Banga, Ba Kelalan STOLports to be upgraded this year with RM30m allocation

KUCHING, Aug 28 — Work to upgrade the Long Banga and Ba Kelalan STOLports is expected to begin this year following the federal government’s approval of RM30 million for the two rural air facilities.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said RM15 million had been allocated for each STOLport under the Airport Development Fund.

“We have just approved the allocation and, Insya-Allah, we want to start something this year.

“There is still design work and other preparations to be done,” he told reporters after launching the National Madani Taxi Renewal Programme here on Friday.

He said the upgrades would include terminal improvements and, where feasible, runway extensions based on site conditions.

“We want our rural STOLports to also have a new look and be upgraded according to current needs,” he said.

Hasbi said longer runways would enable the facilities to handle more passengers, noting that due to runway length Twin Otter flights are limited to nine passengers.

He said the federal government is also upgrading airports in Sabah and Sarawak, including Miri Airport, where the project is currently at the design stage and involves more than RM400 million.

The combined allocation for airport upgrading projects in Sabah and Sarawak exceeds RM1 billion, covering Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kota Kinabalu, and Sandakan airports in Sabah.

Meanwhile, Hasbi said the proposed new Lawas Airport was under the Sarawak government through the Northern Region Development Authority (NRDA), with site preparation underway in Sundar.

On Bebuling STOLport, he said he had yet to receive information on its planned landing test.

“That is under the state, so I have not received any information on the landing test yet. I will find out,” he said. — The Borneo Post